JUDA — The Panthers have a new man in charge of the girls basketball program. Math teacher David Wiemiller, Jr., a Pecatonica graduate and former boys basketball coach at Parkview, takes over the struggling program that is looking to climb out of the cellar in the Six Rivers East.
That may not be so easy — and not because the conference is littered with talent and teams with the potential to reach the state tournament. For Wiemiller, the toughest part so far is not having had a single day of practice with his squad in the more than six months since he was hired.
“Unlike many first-year coaches in a new position I have not seen them actually play and that will not happen till this Monday (Nov. 30) — I hope!” Wiemiller said. After taking the job during the spring, the COVID-19 pandemic came down hard. Wiemiller was not able to use any of the five contact days the WIAA allows, including playing in summer leagues and tournaments. “At every turn my plans had to be changed. Still like everyone else I am getting by and doing what I can to keep them interested,” he said of his players.
Wiemiller called the decision to hold off on playing live basketball “wise” due to the relative ease of spread of the virus. What he has seen through the opening semester of the school year is players optimistic to get back onto the court and enjoy what time they will have in uniform. “I will say there is a lot of excitement on my end and I can see it in many of the girls’ eyes,” Wiemiller said.
The school pushed back the start of practice by an extra two weeks. There will be “around 12” girls on the team, but Wiemiller doesn’t know what he even has in his players to determine any schemes the squad might run.
“I will say this: I am in the best league for this division in the state. I have met many of the coaches in the Six Rivers East and they seem like class acts,” Wiemiller said. “I am at a school I believe is perfect for me with an extremely welcoming staff and some of the best mannered students I have ever taught mathematics to in a 20-year career. If that is any indication on how my season will go, I am extremely excited.”
Last year the Panthers were just 3-18 overall and 1-11 in league play. The team’s only two all-conference players (Montana Steinman, second team, and Taylor Golackson, honorable mention) graduated.
This year, because of low numbers in the program, the Panthers will only be playing a varsity schedule. Anna Skoumal, Maddie Smith, Jocelyn Rufer, Jencie Lynaugh, Jerzie Lerch, Bella Carnes and Ciarrah Davis all saw time on the court last year as underclassmen, and there are multiple freshmen joining the mix.
